Leeden Tor

The walk up Leeden Tor takes you through proper Dartmoor landscape - all gorse, granite, and silence. It's not a massive peak by any stretch, but the views once you reach the top justify the effort. On a clear day, you get a real sense of how much moorland spreads out around Tavistock, with the tors puncturing the horizon in all directions.

What makes this worthwhile is the walk itself as much as the destination. The path isn't overly signposted, which means you get a genuine sense of navigating Dartmoor rather than shuffling along a tourist trail. Families with older kids will find it manageable - teenagers who don't mind a bit of moorland scrambling will actually enjoy it. Younger children might find the exposure a touch much, depending on their head for heights.

Allow a solid couple of hours if you're starting from Tavistock. The terrain can be boggy in places, so proper boots matter. Bring water. The tor itself is free to access - there's no visitor centre or café up top, which keeps it refreshingly low-key.

If you're based at Langstone Manor, just down the road, Leeden Tor makes a proper morning outing before you head elsewhere. It works well alongside Dartmoor National Park visits - you're already on the moor, so you might as well get vertical while you're here. Worth doing, but don't expect crowds or facilities.